Valour FC have their first point of the 2025 season, as they and Forge FC split the points at Hamilton Stadium on Saturday evening in an entertaining 1-1 draw.
The home side opened the match with a few dangerous ventures into the attacking half, but Valour quickly became more comfortable, stringing together a series of chances. They produced five shots in the first 10 minutes, and in the 11th minute their sixth attempt found the back of the net.
Kris Twardek managed to bring the ball down at the edge of the six-yard box with a challenge in the air and an overhead kick to send it rolling across goal. Shaan Hundal was in good position on the doorstep to redirect it over the line, as Valour took an early 1-0 lead.
Valour continued to probe throughout the first half, although they did not seriously trouble the Forge goal again before the break; the two sides traded jabs and attempted to adapt to the swirling wind in Hamilton, which carried a number of long balls along unpredictable trajectories.
Coming out of the break, a reinvigorated Forge sought to get back into the game. They needed just five minutes to find their equalizer, as the ball fell in the box to Mo Babouli who tried to shoot but had his attempt blocked. The ball deflected vertically and descended toward the crossbar, where goalkeeper Jonathan Viscosi was unable to push it back up and out of play. Instead, it dropped right at the feet of Brian Wright, who made no mistake smashing the ball into an open net to make it 1-1.
The match was fairly disjointed through the remainder of the second half, neither side looking particularly comfortable in possession. Forge had the better of the opportunities, including one around the hour mark that Wright headed just wide, but Valour continued looking for chances to stretch the hosts in transition.
With less than 10 minutes to play, Forge thought they’d found their winning moment, as a bouncing ball in the box found the arm of Dante Campbell, earning the home side a penalty kick. Dan Nimick, who had such a strong record from the spot in his time in Halifax, stepped up to take it, and he drove a low shot to his left — but Viscosi dived and knocked the ball away, saving Valour’s hopes of a result.
Forge remained dangerous in the dying stages, and David Choinière put one just inches over the bar with his head deep into stoppage time, but neither they nor Valour could break the deadlock.
So, the draw became the first blemish in Forge’s record as their unbeaten streak to start the season nonetheless continued. Valour, meanwhile, added their first point to their ledger ahead of next weekend’s home opener in Winnipeg.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Forge FC: Koleilat; Kane (Rama 78′), Nimick, Achinioti-Jönsson, Jevremović; Jensen (Paton 78′), Hojabrpour, Bekker; Ampomah (Borges 67′), Wright (Filion 78′), Babouli (Choinière 53′)
Valour FC: Viscosi; Fernandez, Romeo, Facchineri, Antonoglou; Ohin, Figueiredo (Campbell 71′); Twardek, Ressurreição (Venâncio 71′), Faria; Hundal (Morgan 88′)
Goals
12′ — Shaan Hundal (Valour FC)
50′ — Brian Wright (Forge FC)
Discipline
37′ — Yellow: Alessandro Hojabrpour (Forge FC)
45′ — Raphael Ohin (Valour FC)
82′ — Shaan Hundal (Valour FC)
89′ — Myles Morgan (Valour FC)
